Close-fitting helmet



Oct. 15, 1957 w. s. FINKEN ET AL 2,810,022

CLOSE-FITTING HELMET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1953 Oct. l5, 1957w. s. FINKEN ET AL CLOSE-FITTING HELMET 2 sheets-she@ Filed Sept. 24,1953 mmf/VH CLOSE-FITTIN G HELMET Walter S. Finlten, Brooklyn, N. Y.,and Jackson A. Aileo, Carbondale, Pa., assignors to Leonard P. Frieder,Great Neck, N. Y.

Application September 24, 1953, Serial No. 382,048 6 Claims. (Cl.179-156) The present invention relates to close-fitting helmets or caps,especially to helmets for supporting earphones and other accessoriesrequired by the occupation of the wearer, and intended to be worn attimes alone and at other times inside an outer protective helmet.

It is desirable for persons engaged in `certain occupations, forexample, the pilots of military aircraft, to wear helmets which supportearphones in close proximity to the wearers ears and are also availableto support other accessory equipment, for example, an oxygen mask, whichmay sometimes be necessary. Under many conditions, these supportingfunctions are all that is required of a helmet for such a person.

At other times, as for example, during military combat, or during highspeed maneuvers, or during a forced landing, the pilot may find itdeisrable to wear a protec- `tive helmet, sometimes referred to as acrash hehnet, or safety helmet, to protect his head against injury fromcontact with external objects. Such protective helmet structures tend tobe heavyand bulky, and to be uncomfortable, particularly during warmweather. Also, the earphones and other accessories must be fastened tothe safety helmet to prevent dislocations which might be uncomfortableor even dangerous.

lt has therefore been proposed to provide for such personnel a light,close-fitting helmet which can be .employed to support the earphones,oxygen masks and other accessories, and which is comfortable to Weareven during the warmest weather. This light helmet is sufficientlycompact so that a safety helmet can be put on quickly simply by placingit over the close-fitting helmet and connecting the two helmets togetherfor example, by simple straps and snapconnectors, as shown, or by anarrangement incorporating an automatic tension release of the typedescribed in the `copendingapplication of Leonard P, Frieder and WalterS. Finken, Serial No. 329,788, tiled January 6, 1953.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improvedclose-fitting helmet of the type described, which will fit the wearershead snugly.A Another object is to provide a helmet of the typedescribed which is quickly adjustable to nt a wide range of headcontours. Another object is to provide such a helmet in which thestresses due to tightening of the adjusting straps are distributed oversubstantial portions of the helmet structure so as to avoid localizedpressures on the wearers head.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved structure forsupporting earphones and other accessory equipment.

Another object is to provide, on such a helmet structure, improvedarrangements for anchoring and supporting wires connected to theearphones. t

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained byconstructing the helmet with two side panels of relatively inelasticfabric adapted to support the `earphones and other equipment, and twocentral zones extending from the wearers forehead and over his head tothe back of his neck. These central zones are formed hired StatesPatent() ICC of elastic flexible netting and are cut on the bias withrespect to one another so that warp-like threads of the two nettings areparallel adjacent the crown of the wearers head, and intersect elsewherealong the common boundary of the two zones at a-cute angles whichincrease toward the extremities of the zones. Itis also preferred toinclude between the middle portions of the central zones and the sidepanels additiona1 segments of netting, which are also cut on the biaswith respect to the nettings in the zones. The boundary between thezones and the boundaries between the zones and the segments are coveredby tapes of inelastic fabric, which tapes are stitched to both of theadjacent nettings.

An adjustable back strap is provided having its ends attached to theside panels and extending across the back of the Wearers head at thebase of the skull. An adjustable chin strap is also provided extendingbetween the side panels and under the wearers chin. By tightening thesetwo straps, the flexible netting can be stretched to conform to thecontour of the Wearers head.

Another tape of inelastic material extends around the entire peripheryof the helmet and is attached to the ends of the boundary tapesmentioned above. The contour of the two zones along their front edges ismade arcuate so that this boundary tape recedes above the forehead adistance toward the crown of the head. Across the wearers forehead,there is provided a gore which is arcuate on the upper side Where it isattached to the peripheral tape and substantially straight on its loweredge. The aforementioned tapes and the gore just described cooperate todistribute over the entire area of the gore all stresses due totightening of the back strap and the chin strap, thus preventingconcentration of pressure on the forehead.

Adjustable straps for connection to an outer safety helmet are provided,preferably connected to the side panels by the same tabs to which thechin strap is attached. For mounting an oxygen mask, heavy leathersegments are attached to either side of the side panels.

Earphone supports of the type described in detail and claimed in thecopending application of Walter S. Finken (Docket 2707), Serial No.373,795, filed August l2, 1953 are mounted on the side panels.

To provide anchorage for the wires leading to the earphones, tapepockets are provided extending along the outside of the lower peripheryof the helmet. These tape pockets are open at both ends and serve tosupport and anchor the Wires. There may be attached to one of the sidepanels a tab of heavy material for enclosing and anchoring a junctionbetween wires attached to the respective headphones and the wiresleading to an external connection. A portion of the earphone supportmentioned above may be pierced at spaced localities adjacent theearphone and the wires leading to the earphone may be threaded in andout of the pierced holes so as to anchor them securely and preventtransmission of stresses through the wires to the earphone.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparentfrom a consideration of the following specification and claims, takentogether with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevational View of a helmet embodying the invention;

Fig. Z is a side elevational View of the helmet of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational View of the helmet of Fig. l; Y

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line lV-IV of Fig. 3showing the details of the stitching of the seam connecting thegcentralzones `and its covering tape;

Fig. 5 is a front 'elevational view showing a person 3 wearing thehelmet of Figs. 1 to 4 and an outer safety helmet with the two helmetsconnected together;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing a modied formof wire anchorage structure; and Y Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional viewtaken on the line VII- VII of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a helmet generally indicatedby the reference numeral 1 and consisting of right and left side panels2 and 3, right and left central Zones 4 and S and right and leftsegments 6 and 7. The side panels 2 and 3 are formed of exible inelasticmaterial such as a cotton twill fabric. The zones l and S extend fromthe wearers forehead over the top of his head to the back of his neck.These zones are formed of flexible, somewhat elastic netting. Thesegments 6 and 7 are located between the middle portions of the sidepanels 2 and 3, respectively, and the middle portions of the zones 4 and5.

The seams between the central zones d and 5, zone 4 and segment 6, andbetween zone 5 and 7 are formed as shown in detail in Fig. 4. The andare placed in registering relation and edges which will be stitchedtogether by between segment zones d the marginal adjacent in thefinished helmet are a seam 8. The margins are then folded back and theseam is covered by a tape 9 Whose edges are stitched to the margins ofthe nettings #i and 5, forming seams 1) and 1l, respectively. The tape 9is of relatively inelastic material, similar to the side panels 2 and 3.The seam between zone 4 and segment 6 is covered by a similar tape l2,similarly attached to the nettings. Another tape i3 covers the seambetween zone 5 and segment 7. Additional tapes 14 and 15 cover the seamsbetween the segments 6 and 7 and the panels 2 and 3, respectively.Another tape 16 extends around the entire lower periphery of the helmet1, encircling the wearers face, the lower and forward parts of the 'sidepanels 2 and 3, and around the back of the wearers neck. The contours ofthe two zones 4 and 5 along their front edges is made arcuate so thatthe boundary tape 16 recedes above the forehead a distance toward thecrown of the head. A gore 17 is attached to the tape 16 so as to extendacross the wearers forehead. The gore 17 has an arcuate upper edge tocorrespond with that of tape le, while its lower edge is substantiallystraight.

A back strap 1S extends between side panels 2 and 3 at the base of thewearers skull. The back strap E8 consists of a loop 15a sewed to thetape 13 and the adjacent portion of the side panel A buckle 19 isattached to the loop lila and receives the end of a strap 13b whichprojects from the opposite side panel 2. By adjusting the length of thestrap t8, the fit of the helmet at the back of the wearers neck can bereadily changed to suit the contour of the head. A pair of webs 20 and21, each forming a double loop, are attached to the side panels 2 and 3respectively, near their lowest and most forward points. Zlla and 21a ofthe double loops 2lb extend upwardly and rearwardly. On the left side ofthe helmet, as shown in Fig. 2, the downwardly extending loop 2da isattached to a buckle 22. A chin strap 23 is adjustably received in thebuckle 22 and is adapted to extend under the wearers chin. The other endof chin strap 23 carries a snap fastener 23a adapted to engage anothersnap fastener 24 on the loop 21a on the opposite side of the helmet. Thegore 17 spreads the stress due to tightening of back strap 18 and chinstrap 23, particularly the former, over the entire area of the gore,thus preventing the concentration of pressure under the seam 16 to thediscomfort of the wearer.

The upwardly and backwardly extending loops 20b and 2lb carry buckles 25which adjustably receive the ends of straps 26. The opposite ends of thestraps 26 carry snap fasteners 27 adapted for attachment withcooperating snap fasteners mounted on an outer protective safety helmetsuch as that shown at 28 in Fig. 5. As an alternative to the straps 26and snap fasteners 27, 28, there may be provided connectionsincorporating an automatic tension release, as shown and claimed in thecopending application of Leonard P. Frieder Walter S. Finken, Serial No.329,788, led January 1953, mentioned previously.

The lower forward portions of the side panels 2 and 3 may be made ofdouble thickness, as between the scam 29 (see Fig. 2) and the seam Btl.

The side panels 2 and 3 are provided with central generally ellipticalapertures to receive the base members 3l. of earphone supports of thetype shown in detail and claimed in the copending application of WalterS piriken, Serial No. 373,795, led August l2, i953. base member 31 has aperipheral, elliptical, inwardly opening groove or recess adapted toreceive a protective pad, as disclosed in the said Finken application.rEhe base member 31 is also provided with a central collar 32 recessedto receive an earphone 33, to which are attached electric wires 34. Thewires 3f@ are threaded through two openings 31a and 3l!) formed in thebase member 3l.. Along the back of the neel; of the helmet il, justabove the tape 16 is provided a wire anchorage pocket 35. This pocket isa strip of inelastic material, similar to the material of panels 2 and3, which is stitched along its top and bottom margins to the helmet soas to form a passage open at both ends for the wires 34. At least onewire 34 from the left-hand earphone may join a wire 36 from theright-hand earphone at a junction, as shown at 37, connecting thosewires to an external wire 38.

Heavy leather segments 39 are attached to the side panels 2 and 3 andare provided with snap fasteners 40 for the attachment of auxiliaryequipment such as an oxygen mask. It should be noted that the segments39 are sewed to the double thickness section of the side panels 2 and 3.Since oxygen masks commonly have only one snap fastener on each side, itmay be seen that the provision of two such fasteners on the segments 39permits adjustment of the mask to accommodate the wearer.

It should be noted that the nettings of the zones 4 and 5 are cut on thebias with respect to each other so that the warp-like threads of the twonettings are parallel at that part of the common boundary of the zonesadjacent the crown ofthe wearershead and that these warp-like threadsintersect elsewhere along that common boundary at acute angles whichincrease toward both extremities of the zone. In a similar manner, notethat the warp-like threads in the segments 6 and 7 are parallel to theadjacent zonethreads at a locality near the crown of the head and thatthese threads intersect at increasing angles from that locality towardboth extremities of the segments. By cutting the nettings of the zonesin segments in this manner, the applicant has constructed a helmet whichconforms closely to the wearers head. Furthermore, by adjusting the backstrap 18 and the chin strap 22 until both are tight, the wearer can pullthe entire helmet structure into close-fitting engagement with his head.Since the Zones 4 and 5 and the segments 6 and 7 wearers head,transmitting the stresses applied to them to the tapes 9, 12, 13, 14 and15. These elastic zones and segments are also effective to spread thestresses over substantial portions of the tapes, so that the wearer isnot made uncomfortable by the tightening of the helmet. In a similarfashion, the stress applied to the front tape 16 is distributedthroughout the area of the forehead gore 17.

The tapes 9, 12 and 13 form stable ridges from which elastic or biasmovements of the netting zones and segments radiate. The stretching ofeach netting zone and segment to accommodate the head contour is therebylargely co'nnedto the stretching required by the contour of that portionof the head-surface covered by the particular zone or segment. Thestretching of each zone and segment is thereby llimited so that stressis never concentrated in any part of the helmet.

The location of segments 6 and 7 as shown is important to the properpositioning of the earphones. The zones 4 'and 5 stretch bothlongitudinally and laterally as required to accommodate majordifferences between the shape ,of the vwearers head and the unstressedshape of theV helmet. While the segments 6 and 7 cooperate to someextent with the zones 4 and 5 `in performing that function, theprincipal function of segments 6 and 7 is to stretch laterally so thatthe .earphones will be supported comfortably adjacent the wearers ears.

The gore 17 is preferably lined with chamois or other soft material. Inaddition to its stress distributing function previously mentioned, itprovides warmth and also protects the wearers forehead.' For example,such protection is especially desirable when the helmet is worn inalocation subject t`o a high velocity 4air stream or blast. When thehelmet is` worn with goggles, the gore 17 provides protection of thewearers forehead in the zone between the goggles and the main part ofthe helmet.

In tropical climates, it may be desirable to remove the gore 17st) asto, make the helmet as cool as possible. This may be done readily bycutting the thread which binds it to the tape 16. When the gore 17 is soremoved, the helmet functions substantially as well as before, exceptthat the stress spreading function of the gore 17 is no longeravailable. However, any discomfort which may arise from this cause maywell be less than the discomfort due to heat caused by the presence ofthe gore when the helmet is worn in a warm climate.

It may be seen from the foregoing that the applicant has provided aclose-fitting helmet which may be adjusted into tight engagement withall parts of the wearers head. This helmet is light in weight andcomfortable but is nevertheless capable of supporting earphones and anoxygen mask or other auxiliary equipment. Furthermore, suitable meansare provided for anchoring to the helmet structure the wires leading tothe earphones, so that the connections between the wires and theearphones will not be stressed by movement of the helmet. Means areprovided for connecting the helmet to an outer safety helmet which maybe quickly put on over the close-fitting helmet.

Figs. 6 and 7 These iigures illustrate a modified form of wire anchoringmeans which may be used in place of the wire anchoring means shown inFig. 3. In Fig. 6, the pocket of Fig. 3 is replaced by two pocketsections 41 and 42. Between these pocket sections, there is attached totape 12, as by means of a bolt 43 and a nut 44, a downwardly dependingloop of leather or similar fabric. This loop is open at both sides toreceive the wires 34 and 36, and is provided with an aperture 45a in itslower part through which the external connection wire 38 may pass. Itmay be seen that the loop 45 provides an anchored enclosure for thejunction 37.

While we have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of ourinvention, other modifications thereof will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art, and we therefore intend our invention to be limitedonly by the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A close-fitting helmet and earphone support, adapted to be worneither alone or under an outer safety helmet, comprising a pair of zonesof flexible, yieldable netting extending side by side from a front edgeadjacent the wearers forehead over the head to a rear edge at the baseof the wearers skull, the netting of each said zone being biased withrespect to the netting of the other zone with the warp-like threads ofthe two nettings parallel at that part of the common boundary of thezones adjacent the crown'of the wearers head and'intersecting 4elsewherealong the said common boundary at acute angles which increase fromthe'crown toward both extremities of the zones, side panels ofrelatively inelastic material attached to the sides of said zonesadjacent the -front and rear ends thereof, a 'pair of segments ofilexible, yieldable netting between the central portions of said sidepanels and said zones, the netting of each said segment being biasedwithrespect to the netting of the adjacent zone with the warp-like threadsof thevzone and segment nettings parallel adjacent the middle of theircommon boundary and intersectingy elsewhere along their common boundaryat acute angles which increase toward both extremities thereof, earphonesupport means attached to said side panels at `central localitiesthereof, said segments being stretchable laterally `to accommodateearphones on said `support means, a pair of straps, one attached to eachside panel adjacent the wearers chin and extending diagonally therefromboth'in Va backward and upward direction and in a forward and downwarddirection and a chin strap of adjustable length connecting the forwardends of said pair of straps, said chin strap being effective whentightened to draw the helmet intoclose-tting relation with the top ofthe head of a wearer, the backward ends of said pair of straps beingadapted for releasable connection to said safety helmet.

2. A combinedhelmetfand earphone support, comprising aclose-iittinghelmet structure including side panels of inelasticmaterial, earphone support means attached to at least one of said sidepanels, inelastic tape means extending around the back periphery of thehelmet and means attached to said side panels and said tape means foranchoring at spaced localities wires leading to the earphones.

3. A combined helmet and earphone support as defined in claim 2,including at least one central panel connecting said side panels acrossthe back of the head, a tape of inelastic material attached to the loweredges of said panels and extending across the back of the wearers neck,and in which said wire anchoring means comprises a band attached alongone edge to said tape and along its opposite edge to said panels, saidband cooperating with the adjacent portions of said panels to form apocket wider than said wires and open at both ends for receiving andloosely anchoring said wires.

4. A combined helmet and earphone support as deiined in claim 2, inwhich said wire anchoring means comprises a band of flexible inelasticmaterial attached at both ends to a locality on the lower periphery ofthe helmet along the back thereof between the peripheral portionsimmediately below the wearers ears, said band forming a loop dependingdownwardly from said helmet periphery and open at both horizontal ends,said loop having an aperture opening downwardly at its lowest point,said aperture being adapted to receive wires forming externalconnections for both earphones, said loop being adapted to receive andsupport loosely a junction structure connecting said external wires totwo sets of wires, each set leading to an individual earphone, said setspassing out of said loop through the respective open ends thereof.

5. A combined helmet and earphone support, comprising a close-fittinghelmet structure including side panels of inelastic material, at leastone central panel connecting said side panels across the back of thewearers head, a tape of inelastic material attached to the lower edgesof said panels and extending across the back of the wearers neck, a pairof earphone support means each attached to one of said side panels,earphones on said support means, means for anchoring the wires leadingto said earphones comprising a band of exible inelastic materialattached at both ends to a locality on the lower periphery of the helmetalong the back thereof between the peripheral portions immediately belowthe wearers ears, said band forming a loop depending downwardly fromsaid helmet periphery and open at both horizontal ends, said loop havingan aperture opening downwardly at its lowest point, said aperture beingadapted to receive wires forming external connections for bothearphones, said loop being adapted to receive and support loosely ajunction structure connecting said external Wires to two sets of Wires,each set leading to an individual earphone, said sets passing out ofsaid loop through the respective open ends thereof, a pair of bandsattached along one edge to said tape and along their opposite edges tosaid panels, said bands extending in opposite directions from the openends of said loop, each said band cooperating with the adjacent portionsof said panels to form a pocket wider than said wires and open at bothends for receiving and guiding loosely one of said sets of wires towardone of the earphones.

6. A close-tting helmet comprising a pair of zones of exible, yieldablenetting extending side by side from a front edge adjacent the wearersforehead over the head to a rear edge at the base of the wearers skull,the netting of each said zone being biased with respect to the nettingof the other zone with the Warp-like threads of the two nettingsparallel at that part of the common boundary of the zones adjacent thecrown of the wearers head and intersecting elsewhere along the saidcommon boundary at acute angles which increase from the crown towardboth extremities of the zones, side panels of relatively inelasticmaterial attached to the sides of said zones adjacent the frontand rearends thereof, a pair of segments of liexible, yieldable netting betweenthe central portions of said side panels and said zones, the netting ofeach said segment being biased with respect to the netting of theadjacent zone with'the warp-like threads of the zone and segmentnettings parallel adjacent the middle of their common boundary andintersecting elsewhere along their common boundary at acute angles whichincrease toward both extremities of said common boundary, earphonesupport means attached to said side panels, said segments beingstretchable laterally to accommodate earphones supported on said supportmeans, and means attached to inelastic portions of the helmet structurefor anchoring wires leading to the earphones.

References Cited in the'le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

